Annuals, Tropicals, Container Gardens 50% off

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Perennials Buy 3, Get 1 Free (least price item)

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We often marvel at the general expectations of uniformity among plants.  We plant two plants of the same species, at the same time in the same location, give them the same water and fertilizer, and expect them to grow and thrive at the same rate.  It is logical that these two plants would be the same size two years later, but that's not always how it works.  

Willow Oaks

Wally and I planted Willow Oak trees down our property line a year and a half ago.  They all got the same light, the same water and the same fertilizer.  One of them has taken off; the others have shown just average growth.  Plants of the same species are not identical.  Each has its own identity, just like people.  I've grown to appreciate the uniqueness of each plant, and the beauty of asymmetry.

Here's a local event you might enjoy, celebrating the tomato! 

Sunday  July 17th  2011

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

$10 advance  -  $15 gate  -   Kids free

live music, tomato tasting, SC brewed beer, BBQ, tomato bobbing, tomato skee ball, kids' art area, joyrides

City Roots Urban Farm

1005 Airport Blvd., Columbia, SC 29205

Free parking

Enter the homegrown tomato contest!  Due Saturday, July 9th

Entries collected between 8:00 am and noon at All-Local Farmers' Market, 711 Whaley Street, Columbia, SC  29205

For more info,  www.tastytomatofest.org

GAMECOCKS WIN!  BACK-TO-BACK NATIONAL CHAMPS!

Congratulations to the University of South Carolina Baseball Team National Champs!  Here are some great items we carry in our Gift Shoppe for Gamecock Fans!  Forgive my unprofessional photography, but Allison is on vacation!  Starting from the 12 o'clock position and working clockwise, that's a tervis tumbler at the top, a Gamecock deskclock, a Jim Shore rooster (aka gamecock), a Gamecock coozie, a Gamecock (or rooster) doorknocker, and Gamecock coasters.  Not pictured here, we have Gamecock garden flags and and car coasters, too!

from Wally Steinhauser, nursery owner aka rock band promoter 

Like me, if you enjoyed the music of the 60's and 70's, we have a special treat for you as Wingard's hosts our 6^th annual Art In The Garden customer and community celebration, on Friday, October 7^th. 

Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals

When The Beatles played to 55,000 fans in Shea Stadium, in August, 1965, "The Rascals Are Coming" was repeatedly flashed on the scoreboard by the Rascals manager and Beatles promoter, Sid Bernstein.  The rest of the country got to know them in December, 1965, on the Hullabaloo Show, when they played their first hit, "Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore."  Their next hit, "Good Lovin" went straight to number one the following Spring.  Many more hits followed, like Groovin', How Can I Be Sure, You Better Run, People Got To Be Free and others.  The Rascals were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1997!  We are pleased to have Felix Cavaliere --- writer, keyboardist and vocalist on those hits with us this year.

Orleans

There's more...the theme of my high school prom, in 1973, was "Dancin In The Moonlight," after a song by another band from New York, called King Harvest.  King Harvest later morphed into Orleans and exploded onto the charts in the mid-seventies with more hits, including "Let There Be Music," "Dance With Me," "Still The One," "Reach" and "Love Takes Time."  Those songs were so popular that the ABC Television Network chose "Still The One" as their promotional theme song, for 1977.  Larry, Lance and Lane Hoppen, along with Fly Amero and Charlie Morgan have created great music throughout their lives and we're delighted to also have them with us this year!

The music of The Rascals and Orleans is timeless and the background music to many of our lives and they sound as great today as they ever have!  I've seen them recently and can attest to how great they sound!  So, we are looking forward to a great evening of music from Orleans and Friends, featuring Felix Cavaliere, formerly of the Rascals.  Once again, our friend, Tony Clyburn, of b106.7 will emcee the evening.

This event is a fundraiser for Lexington Interfaith Community Services (www.licssc.org) and The Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties (www.smartarts.info).  Both organizations are 501(c)3 organizations, so ticket purchases are tax deductible.  Ticket prices are $50 per general admission ticket and $100 per patron ticket.  General admission includes a delicious gourmet dinner prepared by Catering By Dupre, and The Happy Butcher, beer and wine, along with the two hour concert and a juried art show in our "artists colony."  Patron tickets include all of the above, plus an exclusive pre-show meet and greet with Orleans and Felix Cavaliere...bring those albums, CD's, photos and more to have them signed by the original artists.

Tickets will go on sale, on August 1, on our website.  However, for our newsletter subscribers only, through July 31^st only, if you call or come in and bring this letter, you will receive a 10% discount on your ticket purchase.

Our youngest child, Zach, is going away to college in August.  He's the Wingard's Nursery wildlife expert.  One day we saw a snake dangling from the gutter of the house at the nursery.  It had just eaten the baby birds, which were in a nest between the music speaker and the gutter.  But the snake's belly was so full, it couldn't get itself back through the small opening it had come  from (between gutter and house) to return to ground.  Zach rose to the occasion, climbed a ladder, gently wedged the snake out, and returned it to the woods.  We wish Zach all the best as he heads off to college in Florida to pursue a career in wildlife and environmental conservation!